ITIR in Hyderabad to be free from zoning regulations

HYDERABAD: To promote IT, ITeS and electronic hardware manufacturing units in the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR), proposed in 202-square km area (49,912 acres) in the city, the information technology and communications (IT&C) department has decided to give office spaces and campuses exemptions from zoning regulations and height restrictions.

Official sources said the IT, ITeS firms and IT campuses planning to set up shop in ITIR would be exempted from zoning regulations, where they could convert their allotted land to other purposes (residential, commercial, institutional or public-semi-public, industrial, conservation and agricultural use zone). The firms need not pay any land conversion charges to the authority.

The firms that come up in the ITIR could also hold huge extent of land since there was no necessity to file any declaration or obtain permission of Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976, as the Repeal Act 1999 was adopted by the state. However to claim exemptions, the firms should be notified by the IT&C department for claiming exemptions and also ensure environmental safeguards.

To take ITIR proposal further and make it a reality, the IT&C department along with AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and other departments proposed to have a special development authority for developing five zones – Cyberabad and surrounding areas (zone I), Shamshabad and Maheshwaram (zone II), Uppal and Pocharam ((zone III), ORR connecting areas from Cyberabad to Shamshabad and international airport area (zone IV) and ORR connecting areas from Shamshabad airport to Uppal and Pocharam (zone V).

As per the detailed project report for ITIR, of the 202 sq kms area, 82.38 sq kms would be used for industries (processing area), 38.13 sq km for residential, including existing villages and colonies, 6.6 sq kms for commercial, 24 sq kms for roads, 11.66 sq kms for greenery, 6.51 sq km area for recreation, 2.24 sq km for logistics and 25.47 sq kms area, which now covers forest, for water bodies and green zone. Since 5.26 sq km is reserved forest and 5.47 sq km is water bodies, they cannot be used for any other purpose.

The IT&C department has also decided to remove height restrictions and floor space index (FSI) (As of now there is no FSI in the state) for buildings constructed in the region. However, the companies and units have to pay city-level infrastructure impact fee and get no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire services department and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

“There is a proposal to set up special units or cell in HMDA, GHMC and APIIC (in Industrial Local Authority Areas) to give hassle-free building permissions and other clearances within 15 days in their respective areas,” a senior official of the IT&C department told TOI

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